Strange Encounters with Rick Burgess

Growing up, Scott Gurosky had the dream of playing professional sports and the talent to back it up. He was offered scholarships to play at Alabama, UCLA, Purdue, Florida State, and Tennessee, ultimately taking the quarterback position at Auburn. Scott thought the dream that so many kids dream would come true for him, but God had a different plan. When he was forced to leave the game due to injuri...

U.S. Army veteran and military contractor Eric Braun was working as a palace guard in Kabul when he met a local translator named "Rocky." Throughout his time in Afghanistan, Braun found "Rocky" to be honest, loyal, and trustworthy. Now, as Afghanistan falls further into chaos, Braun is worried about his friend and his family. Hear the story of how far Afghanistan had come, and how far it has falle...

Brad Ryan is the musician and recording artist who wrote the Rick & Bubba theme song. Over the last 28 years, that song has traveled across the nation and the world. It has been heard by children sitting in the back seat of their parents' car and by President Donald Trump sitting in the Oval Office. But how did the song come to be? Hear the story from Brad Ryan as we flash back in time on this epi...

Chef Chris Hastings has climbed to the very top of the culinary world. He's opened internationally recognized restaurants, won a James Beard award, and defeated chef Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America. But how did he get to where he is today? It's not often Rick & Bubba have a guest who loves food as much as they do, so don't miss this delicious episode of Rick & Bubba University! Sponsors: Tommy Joh...

Katelyn Bussey's first day in Washington, D.C., was January 5th. As an intern for U.S. Rep. Barry Moore, she had 24-hour access to the inner workings of our government. What was it like on Jan. 6? Did her political beliefs change? Who really writes the tweets for politicians? Find out all this and more on this episode of Rick & Bubba University. Sponsors: ExpressVPN: The VPN that just works. Enjoy...

We've been told to believe lots of things in 2020 and 2021 that were not true in any point in history before 2020, and Dr. David Williams is tired of the lies. After successfully treating over 300 COVID patients (free of charge), he wants to set the record straight. He stands by the fact that masks are not effective for respiratory illnesses in the general population and that natural immunity is m...

As an educator, coach, author, and speaker, Dr. Shawn Brower sees the direction our culture is heading. Boys are being feminized in the name of ridding the world of "toxic masculinity." Dr. Shawn Brower's latest book, "Stand To," flips this narrative, shows how to find biblical masculinity, and invites men to courageously fulfill God’s specifically designed purpose for their lives and follow the g...

Trent Howard is an offensive lineman at Clemson University during the dawn of a new era in college sports. Student athletes are now legally allowed to cash in on their "name, image, and likeness." These NIL deals could be a great way for students to make a little extra money, but critics say these deals could pave the way for jealousy and corruption. Hear Trent Howard's journey from playing high s...

Black Lives Matter has hijacked the civil rights movement. Its supporters have shifted away from Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of character over color. Now it's color over everything. In his book "Not Equal," Ryan Bomberger details his life as a half black, half white man and his fight for true equality based on facts. He's among the black conservative voices that the Left attempts to silence. He...

Todd Jones is an All-Star MLB pitcher with over 850 strikeouts and over 300 saves. He is best known for his time with the Detroit Tigers, where he threw the last official pitch at Tiger Stadium, striking out Carlos Beltrán as the Tigers defeated the Kansas City Royals 8–2. Many do not know that Jones was fined for having the words "Rick & Bubba" on his hat during the MLB All-Star Game. But that wa...

Bill Battle has lived an amazing life. He's been an athlete, coach, author, athletic director, and entrepreneur. He learned success under Bear Bryant and three other Hall of Fame football coaches and blazed a trail in the business world after a decade of coaching. Battle has won national championships on the field and in the athletic director's office and built one of the largest trademark licensi...

Brad Stine admits that he may have missed out on a few career opportunities due to his outspoken faith, but the "Apostle of Comedy" doesn't care. He is a Christian first and a comedian second. He knows that if everyone is agreeing with you, you are doing comedy and life the wrong way. And if the truth offends you, that's your problem. Catch this hilarious, rant-filled episode of Rick & Bubba Unive...

You may know him for his hilarious viral impersonations of legendary Coach Lou Holtz, but former Rick & Bubba intern Lance Ingram is also an author, speaker, and warrior for Jesus. Lance didn't think God would call him to write a book, he didn't think the book would be a success, and he didn't think God would call him to write another. But Lance has learned that when you give your measly bread and...

In 2001, Pastor Chris Hodges started a small core group of believers that would grow to become Church of the Highlands, which now hosts a weekly attendance of over 50,000 people across 21 campuses. But in 1999, Pastor Hodges was depressed. He was in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. His latest book, "Out of The Cave," looks at depression through a biblical lens and shows that life is not abou...

Pastor Dean Inserra sees a crisis of faith coming. He sees that a false Christianity has become popular by taking the self-help movement and making it sound biblical. Televangelism has moved from the TV to social media, and it's spreading a new kind of Prosperity Gospel that says God will make you rich and famous. In his new book, "Getting Over Yourself," Pastor Dean Inserra shows how pop Christia...

In 2004, William Hung captured the attention of the nation with his unsuccessful audition on American Idol and hasn't slowed down since. Hung has sold more than 100,000 albums, toured the world, appeared on talk shows, and is now a motivational speaker, author, and investor. He shares his message of positivity and living with no regrets that has taken him from Hong Kong to the top of the world. He...

Marcel Stamps has KO victories in both Bellator MMA and the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and played football for both Mike Shula and Nick Saban at Alabama. He's in an elite group. In fighting and in football, he has learned that how you mentally approach the game is more important than how big and strong you are. Learn how Marcel Stamps uses his head as much as his hands and punches with pur...

After 22 years pitching in Major League Baseball, hall of famer Tom Glavine knows what it takes to win. He won 305 games and two Cy Young awards, was named MVP of the 1995 World Series, and was part of one of the greatest pitching rotations of all time. So, the question is, what does it take to be a winner? Find out in this inspirational episode of Rick & Bubba University! Sponsors: Bambee: HR Pol...

Rick & Bubba love Mississippi State head football coach Mike Leach, and after several attempts, Rick & Bubba finally got him on the podcast! Mike gives us his takes on moving to the South, his favorite mascots, foods, and songs, and what it's like coaching during COVID. Rick & Bubba then ask the big question: Will Mike Leach be their friend? Find out on this hilarious episode of Rick & Bubba Unive...

Baseball is too slow, the games take too long, and its popularity is in decline. Entrepreneur Jesse Cole doesn't want to see America's pastime left in the past, so he created an updated, faster-paced version of baseball called Banana Ball. And the fans have responded. With the pledge to always put fans first, Jesse is changing the way we look at baseball, and sold-out stadium tours show that it is...

Common Core is politicizing education. It's handed down from the federal government with window dressing to make it look local. That's according to Joan R. Landes, a licensed clinical mental health counselor who homeschooled her seven children and helped found an innovative outdoor school for boys with ADHD and anxiety called BreakOut School. Common Core is a one-size-fits-all box of woke ideology...

Retired U.S. Marine Colonel Oliver North sees what is happening to the country and to our military. Biden is wasting their time and resources, undoing the progress made by Donald Trump. Trump took on China and built alliances around the globe. Biden is worried about "social justice." Biden has no control of our borders, but he wants total control of the people because of a virus. The Left has gone...

The pandemic could have been a unifying moment for the country, but it wasn't. It was politicized. One who saw this firsthand was retired U.S. Army Colonel Jim Hawkins. He was chosen by the governor to lead Alabama’s unified command for COVID response as the interagency coordinator. This meant working with the Alabama Department of Public Health, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, and the Al...

This week we take calls from across the nation as Rick & Bubba listeners share their favorite memories from the past 27 years! Do you remember Speedy streaking across a golf course? What's the truth behind the Willie & Wanda adventure? What led to Rick & Bubba shooting paintball guns at JT? Take a stroll down memory lane and don't miss this episode of Rick & Bubba University. Sponsors: Raycon: Whe...

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill knows many people in the country think the last election was not legitimate. He knows secure and transparent elections are the foundation of democracy and freedom. By removing 1.3 million invalid voters, John has worked to ensure that Alabama has one of the best voter rolls in the nation. He's taken on activist judges and fought to uphold voter ID laws. He's...